But courage without conduct is the virtue of a robber, or a tyrant. Mary Renault More Quotes by Mary Renault More Quotes From Mary Renault Clouds of black birds rose up wailing and screaming, like the thoughts of my heart. Mary Renault rosecloudsheart Change is the sum of the universe, and what is of nature ought not to be feared. But one gives it hostages, and lays one's grief upon the gods. Sokrates is free, and would have taught me freedom. But I have yoked the immortal horse that draws the chariot with a horse of earth; and when the one falls, both are entangled in the traces. Mary Renault horsegrieffall Go with your fate, but not beyond. Beyond leads to dark places. Mary Renault dark-placesfatedark Power is the test. Some, once they have it, are content to buy the show of liking, and punish those who withhold it; then you have a despot. But some keep a true eye for how they seem to others, and care about it, which holds them back from much mischief. Mary Renault testscareeye I was a king and a king's heir and now I am a slave. Mary Renault heirsslavekings You can make an audience see nearly anything, if you yourself believe in it. Mary Renault believe-in-yourselfaudiencebelieve He sees himself in his lover as if in a mirror, not knowing whom he sees, And when they are together, he too is released from pain, and when apart, he longs as he himself is longed for; for reflected in his heart is love's image, which is love's answer. But he calls it, and believes it, not love but friendship. Mary Renault painheartbelieve Longing performs all things Mary Renault aspirationlongingall-things An audience of twenty thousand, sitting on its hands, could not have produced such an echoing silence. Mary Renault twentiessilencehands Do not believe that others will die, not you.... I have wrestled with Thanatos knee to knee and I know how death is vanquished. Man's immortality is not to live forever; for that wish is born of fear. Each moment free from fear makes a man immortal. Mary Renault forevermenbelieve Alexander, of whom men tell many legends, lived by his own. Achilles must have Patroklos. He might love his Briseis; but Patroklos was the friend till death. At their tombs in Troy, Alexander and Hephaistion had sacrificed together. Wound Patroklos, and Achilles will have your blood. Mary Renault togethermenblood It is better to learn war early from friends, than late from enemies. Mary Renault latewarenemy It gives me no joy to be praised at the expense of a better artist, by someone who does not know the difference or who thinks me too vain to be aware of it myself. Mary Renault artisthumilitythinking But it is not for the perfect vase or the polished gem to choose their owners. Mary Renault vasesownersperfect Tell a man what he may not sing and he is still half free; even all free, if he never wanted to sing it. But tell him what he must sing, take up his time with it so that his true voice cannot sound even in secret -- there, I have seen is slavery. Mary Renault voicesecretmen There is madness in youth, but sometimes a god inspires it. Mary Renault youthmadnessinspire Money buys many things... The best of which is freedom. Mary Renault All tragedies deal with fated meetings; how else could there be a play? Fate deals its stroke; sorrow is purged, or turned to rejoicing; there is death, or triumph; there has been a meeting, and a change. No one will ever make a tragedy - and that is as well, for one could not bear it - whose grief is that the principals never met. Mary Renault fategriefplay To hate excellence is to hate the gods. Mary Renault hateexcellence I thought, There goes my lord, whom I was born to follow. I have found a King. And, I said to myself, looking after him as he walked away, I will have him, if I die for it. Mary Renault bornkingslord
